Noiseless typewriter



July 11, 1933 c, JOERISSEN 1,918,106

NOISELESS TYPEWRITER 7 Filed June 17, 1931' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n gwvantoc Carld. Jaenlssezz July 11, 1933. C. A. JOERISSEN 1,918,106 v NOISELE S S TYPEWRITER Filed June 17, 1931 5Sheets-Sheet 5 gwwmkoc Car!!! Joerissen July 11, 1933. Q JOERISSEN 1,918,106

NOI SELES S TYPEWRITER Filed June 17, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Car/A Jaenlxsezz 3 y c. A. JOERKSSEN 3 NOISELESS TYPEWRITER Filed June 17, 1931 5 SheetsShet 5 gmtoz Car/A Jerzisselz Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES CARL A. JOERISSEN, OF PARIS, FRANCE NOISELESS TYPEWRITER Application filed June 17,

This invention relates to a typewriting machine of the so-called noiseless type, and its primary object is to provide a machine of this kind in which the basket on which the type bars are mounted can be shifted to print from either one of a plurality of sets of types on the type bars.

Typewriting machines having the basket shiftable for this purpose are known, but, so far as I am aware, there is no machine which combines the advantages of noiseless action with the advantages of the basket shift. The probable reason for this is that noiseless actuating means which have been designed hereto fore have involved rather complicated mechanism dependent upon the maintenance of a fixed relation between the keys and the type bars. The difiiculty has been overcome by my invention by arranging the type bar actuating and checking means on the basket and designing them so that the swinging and checking actions are all accomplished by simple connections with the key levers whose operation is not disturbed by the shifting of the basket.

My key actuating mechanism is of the general type shown, for instance, in my prior patent, No. 1,753,890, in which the type bar is checked before the end of its stroke, andthe stroke is completed by a positive thrust against the type bar. This method of actuation has the advantage over certain other noiseless actuators, which rely upon a pressure instead of an actual blow to make the impress on, that carbon copies can be printed even with the silent operation. I have found that the printing of carbon copies requires an impact, but not such an impact as follows the ordinary type bar actuation. An impact re sulting from a short direct thrust of the type bar is suiiicient.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved actuating mechanism of the type described above.

Another object is to provide an adjustment of the actuating mechanism so that the force of the blow of the type bar can be modified in accordance with the number of carbon copies being made. In this case the extreme 50 silent action of which my machine is capable 1931. Serial No. 545,094.

is modified, but only to the extent of giving an impact having the required power foi the manifolding operation at hand.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following specification in which certain illustrative forms of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section parallel to the key levers showing the type bar actuating and basket shifting mechanism, the type bar being shown in the position in which it is substantially checked,

Fi 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the type ar at the end of its stroke,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 with the type bar in position of rest,

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a modified form of connection between the type bar and its actuating mechanism,

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a slightly modified form of the basket shifting mechanism,

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the mountings for the bell crank lever shaft,

Fig. 9 is a view at right angles to Fig. 8 showin' both mountings of the bell crank lever sha t,

Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the adj usting handle and scale for adjusting the bell crank lever shaft,

1 Fig. 11 is a detail side view of the basket Fig. 12 is an edge view of the same device,

Fig. 13 is a section parallel to a type bar, showing another modification of the actuating mechanism,

Fig. l i is a similar sectional view of still another modification, and I Fig. 15 is a detail front view of the locking plate shown in Fig. 14.

The drawings are partly diagrammatic, and parts have been omitted to avoid confusion of the views.

Upon a frame 1 a basket 2 is mounted so as to be shiftable in a vertical direction. Any suitable arrangement may be used for mounting the basket on the frame. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown sleeves 3 fixed on the basket at its four corners and slidably mounted on pins 4 secured between ears 9 on the frame pieces 5 and 6. Spiral springs 7 under the sleeves 3 normally hold the basket in its upper position.

For shifting the basket I provide two shift keys 8 arranged as usual at the two sides of the keyboard. The shift keys can be connected to the basket in any convenient way, preferably by a mechanism which provides for locking the basket in elevated position. To lock it in the lower position any suitable shift key lock (not shown) maybe employed. The basket is composed rimarily of two segments 10 and 11 rigi ly secured together by side bars 12 and a middle bar 13. To the middle bar is connected a link 14 pivoted at its lower end to an arm 15 fixed upon a shaft 16 running across the machine and rotatably mounted on the side walls thereof. At the two ends of the shaft 16 are fixed two arms 17 from which depend pivotally connected rods 18. From this point the mechanisms at both sides of the machine are the same and a description of one will suffice for both. Each rod 18 is forked at its lower end and carries on the two prongs of the fork pins 19 engaging in slots 20 (Fig. 11) in link 21 connected with the shift key lever 8. The link 21 has a vertical slot 22 enlarged at its lower end to form an inclined cam face 23. Pivoted on the side wall of the frame 1 is a latch 24 nor mally pressed toward the right by a spring 25 and bearing upon its lower offset end a pin 26, which passes through the slot 22 and also under the lower square end 27 of the right hand fork of rod 18.

Fig. 3 shows the parts in normal position with the basket locked in its upper position by the face 27 of rod 18 above pin 26. When the shift key 8 is depressed it first moves link 21 downward, the slots 20 travelling along the pins 19 without effect upon rod 18. During this time cam surface 23 moves pin 26 to the left and clear of the face 27 of rod 18. When the ends of slots 20 reach pins 19 the rod 18 is pulled down and through the arms on shaft 16 and link 14 draws the basket down with it. In the upper position of the basket the type 29 are opposite the printing line of the platen 30 and when the basket is in its lower position the type 31 are opposite the printing line of the platen. When the shift key is released springs 7 raise the basket and pin 26 finally moves to the right under the locking surface 27 of rod 18.

Fig. 7 shows a slightly modified arrangement in which the principal difference is the location of the locking devices between the arm 15' and bar 13 instead of between the arms 17 and the shift keys 8 as in Fig. 3. In Fig. 7 the same parts are indicated by the same reference characters with the addition of the prime mark. The arms 17' are connected to shift key levers 8 by straight rods 33 and there is a single latch 24 mounted on a cross rod 34 pivoted in the side walls of the frame 1.

Type keys are mounted in the customary manner on a rod 41 and held in elevated position by springs 42. Above the type bars is a shaft 43 on which bell crank levers 44 are rotatably supported, there being one hell crank lever for each key lever 40. Each bell crank lever is connected to its key by a fork 45 engaging a pin 46 on the key. The other arm 47 of the bell crank is connected by a link 48 with the type bar actuating mecl1- anlsm.

Type bars 49 are pivotally supported upon a rod 50 extending through the comb teeth 51 of segment 10. In the form of type bar actuating mechanism shown in Figs. 35

each type bar has a slot 52 engaged by a pin 53 on the end of a checking member 54. As will appear from the later description the checking member serves to transmit the initial and final movements to the type bar as well as to check its motion. The opposite end of the checking member is pivotally con nected at 55 with a rocking member 56 ro tatably supported on a rod 57 running through comb teeth 58 of segment 11. On the lower end of each rocking member is pivotally suspended, as at 59, an operating lever 60. One arm 61 of the operating lever has a lost motion connection with the checking member 54, shown as a slot 62 in the operating lever engaging a pin 63 on the checking member. To a downwardly projecting arm 64 of the operating lever is pivotally connected at 65 the link 48, whereby the type bar actuating mechanism is connected with the key lever mechanism. The lever 60 is provided with a slot having a portion 67 concentric with the pivot 59, and a portion 68 diverging from that pivot. Through this slot passes an arcuate rod 69 supported at the center upon an arm 70 and at the sides upon arms 71 on segment 11. The rod 69 is maintained in a fixed position with respect to segment 11 and for this purpose may be supported by additional arms or a complete comb. In position of rest the type bars are supported by a -pillow 72 mounted 011 an extension 73 of segment 11.

The operation of the type bar actuating mechanism is as follows: The position of rest of the parts is shown in Fig. 5. lVhen key lever 40 is depressed bell crank 44 is rocked and pulls link 48 to the left. Operating lever 60 is turned upon its pivot 59 and swings the checking member 54 upward about its pivot 55, thereby elevating the type bar to the position shown in Fig. 3. During this initial movement the concentric portion 67 of the cam slot in lever 60 is travelling along rod 69. It will be observed that all three sides of the triangle formed by pivots 57 59, and rod 69 remain the same during this initial movement, consequently the angular position of rocking member 56 cannot change. Therefore as checking member 54 approaches the position shown in Fig. 3 the type bar will be slowed down and practically checked by the time it has reached the position shown in Fig. 3. At this instant the diverging portion 68 of the slot in lever 60 reaches rod 69, thus permitting rocking member 56 to swing to the left under the continued pull of link 48. Thereby the checking member 54 becomes a thrust bar by which the type bar is positively thrown against the paper on the platen. The impact is sufficient to print clearly the original and manifold copies, but is not so forceful as to make a loud report.

Fig. 6 shows a modified connection between the checking member 54 and the type bar 49'. In this case the connection is a link 90, which gives an effect similar to the pin and slot connection shown on Figs. 3'-5. The rest of the parts are the same and are indicated by the same reference characters with the addition of the prime mark.

Upon examination of the bell crank levers 47 in the three positions shown in Figs. 35, it will be seen that the pivotal connection of arm 47 with link 48 starts its travel with a substantial component in the direction of the length of link 48. By the time the parts have assumed the position shown in Fig. 3 this component has been considerably reduced and a good deal of the motion of pivot 75 is transverse to the link 48. By the end of the printing stroke shown in Fig. 4 the transverse motion has become relatively great and the longitudinal motion quite small. Therefore the bell crank levers 44 have a direct influence upon the speed of the type bars aside from the actuating mechanism on the basket. Furthermore the position of the angle through which bell crank levers 44 travel can be adjusted, for instance, by changing the position of rod 43. In this way the impact of the type bar can be made almost noiseless, or it can be increased where a greater impact is necessary for printing manifold copies. I have shown in Fig.4 and in greater detail in Figs. 8 and 9, an adjustable mounting for the rod 43. On each side wall of the frame 1 are bosses having slots 81 in which bearings 82 are slidably mounted. The ends of shaft 43 are supported in bearings 82 as .shown. The slots 81 and the engaging surfaces of bearings 82 are inclined in such a direction that shaft 43 will be moved downward and rearward, or upward and forward as the bearings are shifted. The position of the bearings can be fixed by screws 83 engaging threaded holes 84 in the bosses 80. The screws 83 are turned simultaneously by worm teeth 85 on a shaft 86 running across the machine and rotatably supported upon extensions 87 of the side wall of the frame 1. One end of shaft 86 is provided with a bandle 88 and has fixed to it a pointer 89 indicating the position of shaft 43 on a scale 90 fixed to the extension 87. The scale 90 may be calibrated in accordance with the number of manifold copies which the machine is adapted to print at the various settings of shaft 43.

Fig. 13 shows a modified form of the type bar actuating mechanism. A type bar 49 is pivoted on a rod 50' and is provided with a slot 52 in which is engaged a pin 53 on a lever 100. The lever is pivoted at 101 on a swinging member 102 pivoted on a rod 57 which extends through the comb teeth 58' of a segment 11. The lever 100 has a downward extension 103 to which is pivotally connected a link 48. The link 48 is pivotally connected at its opposite end to a bell crank lever 44. In the extension 103 of lever 100 is a slot having a portion 67' concentric with the pivot 101, and a portion 68' diverging from the pivot 101. A rod 69' passes through this slot and is supported upon arms projecting from the segment 11', just the same as the rod 69 shown in Fig. 2. Only the middle one of these arms, 70', appears in Fig. 13.

The operation of this mechanism is substantially the same as the one shown in Figs. 1 to 5. The checking member 54 and operating lever 60 are replaced by a single lever 100 performing the functions of both.

Fig. 14 shows still another modification of the type bar actuating mechanism. A swinging member is pivotally mounted upon a segment- 111 by means of a rod 112 passing through the comb teeth 113. At the lower end of swinging member 110, upon a screw 114, is pivoted an operating lever 115 having a pin 116 engaging slot 117 in type bar 118. To a downward extension 119 of lever 115 is pivotally connected at 120 a link 121, the other end of which is pivoted at 122 to bell crank lever 123. Upon the rear side of segment 11 is shiftably mounted a locking plate 124, the lower end 125 of which normally lies behind an extension 126 of rocking member 110. Plate 124 is supported upon segment 111 by large headed screws 127 enga ing in square holes 128 of the plate.

11 operation the bell crank lever 123 is rotated counterclockwise by the depression of a key, in the same way as in Figs. 1 to 5. Link 121 is thereby pulled to the left and swings lever 115 in clockwise direction, thereby starting the type bar toward the platen 30. During the initial swing of lever 115 rocking member 110 is held stationary by plate 124 engaging extension 126. At the same time plate 124 is being raised by lever 115 and about the time the lever reaches checking position, as shown in Fig. 13, the lower end 125 of the plate is raised above the extension 126. The rocking member 110, being then free, swings to the left under the continued pull of link 121 and completes the printing stroke of the type bar by a direct thrust through lever 115.

The form of the holes 128 in the plate 124 is such that the plate can be raised by any of the operating levers 115, regardless of its angular position. The mechanism is balanced or otherwise held in such a way that the rocking members 110 will not swing rearward when released by the plate 124 unless they are being pulled to the left by depression of the corresponding key.

It will be observed that the common characteristic of all the forms of type bar actuating mechanism shown is that a force is exerted upon the rocking member from the beginning of the motion of the key bar, tending to swing the rocking member toward the platen, but the rocking member is held stationary during the initial swing of the type bar and is not released until the checking of the type bar is substantially finished, whereupon a final thrust is imparted to the type bar to swing it through the short distance remaining between the type and the platen.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine; a platen; a type bar; a checking member therefor; a rocking member to which oneend of said checking member is pivoted; a lever pivoted to both of said members;-connections between said type bar and said checking member whereby they are constrained to swing simultaneously in such a way that said check ing member moves to checking position as said type bar travels from position of rest to a point a short distance from said platen; key actuated means for moving said lever to cause said checking member and type bar to execute said simultaneous swinging movements; means for holding said rocking member substantially stationary throughout said simultaneous movements; said holding means being adapted to allow said rocking member positively to be rocked by said lever after said type bar has been checked, to thrust said checking member forward and thereby complete the printing stroke of said type bar.

,2. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a type bar, a checking member, a rocking member to which one end of said checking member is pivoted, a lever pivotally connected with said rocking member and having a lost motion connection with said checking member, key actuated means for swinging said lever, connections between said checking member and said type bar whereby, as the checking member is swung from a position of rest to checking position, said type bar is swung thereby from osition of rest to a point a short distance rom the platen, a cam on said lever having a curved portion concentric with .the pivotal connection of said lever and said rocking member, a fixed member engaging said cam whereby said rocking member is held substantially stationary during a portion of the swing of said lever, said cam having a diverging portion with which said fixed member comes into engagement as said checking member reaches checking position, whereby said rocking member is swung by further movement of said lever to complete the printing motion of said type 3. A machine as specified in claim 2 in which said key actuated means and platen are mounted on a stationary frame while all of said other parts are mounted on a basket shiftably supported on said frame.

4. In a typewriting machine; atype bar; actuating mechanism for swinging said type bar from position of rest to printing position; a key; and connections between said key and actuating mechanism for operating the latter, including a bell crank lever having one arm connected with said key and the other arm connected with said actuating mechanism, said latter arm of said bell crank lever being adapted to be moved by said key so that it closely approaches a dead center position toward the end of its swing, said bell crank lever bein mounted upon an adjustable fulcrum so t at the position of the angle through which said bell crank lever is turned can be varied.

5. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a type bar, a rocking member, type bar actuating means pivoted on said rocking member, key actuated means for exerting a force on said type bar actuating means in a direction tending to swing said rocking member toward said platen, said type bar actuating means being adapted, under the influence of said force, to move said type bar from position of rest to a position a short distance from said platen, means for restraining said rocking member during the aforesaid motion of said type bar, and for releasing said rocking member at the endof said motion, whereby said type bar actuating means is moved bodily to complete the printing stroke of said type bar.

6. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a type bar, an operating lever connected therewith, a pivoted rocking member on which said lever is pivoted, key actuated means for applying a driving force to said lever in a direction tending to turn said lever on its pivot and to move said rocking member toward said platen, means for restraining motion of said rocking member under the infiuence of said force while said lever is swinging on its pivot, and for releasing said rocking member when said lever reaches a certain oint in its swing.

7. n a typewriting machine, a platen, a

type bar, a pivoted rocking member, a t e bar checking member pivoted on said roc ing member, connections between said check ing member and said type bar adapted to 'cause said type bar to swing toward saidstraining said rocking member while saidchecking member isswinging, and for releasing said rocking member when said checking member has reached checking position, said checking member being adapted to impart a thrust from said rocking member to said type bar to complete the printing motion of the latter.

8. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a type bar, a checking member for said type bar, a supporting member to which said checking member is pivotally connected, mounted for movement toward and away from said platen, key actuated mean for imparting a driving force to said checking member tending to swing said checking member on its pivot and to move said supporting member toward said platen, means for restraining said supporting member while said checking member is swinging on its pivot, connections between said checking member and said type bar whereby said type bar is thrown toward said platen as said checking member swings on its pivot, said checking member being adapted to substantially check the motion of said type bar before it strikes said platen, said restraining means being adapted to release said supporting member when said ,type bar has been substantially checked, whereby the printing mo tion of said type bar is completed by a direct thrust through said checking member and connections.

9. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a type bar, a checking member for said type bar, a supporting member to which said checking member is pivotally connected, mounted for movement toward and away from said platen, key actuated means for imparting a driving force to said checking member tending to swing said checking memher on its pivot and to move said supporting member toward said platen, means for re straining said supporting member while said checking member is swinging on its pivot, an elongated slot in said type bar, means 'on said checking member engaging said slot, said slot being arranged to assume a position substantially at right angles to said checking member before said type bar strikes said platen, said restraining means being adapted to release said supporting member when said slot and checking member are substantially at right angles, whereby the printing motion of said type bar is completed by a direct thrust through saidchecking member.

10. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a type bar, a toggle connected at one end to said type bar and at the other end to a. movable ivot member, an actuating arm for said togg e, key actuated -means for exerting a force on said actuating arm in a direction tending to straighten said toggle and to move said movable ivot member toward said platen, means or restraining said movable pivot member until said toggle has straightened, and for releasing said pivot member .when said toggle has straightened, whereby a final drive is imparted to said type bar through said straightened toggle.

11. In a typewriting machine; a type bar;

actuating mechanism for swinging said type bar from position of rest to printing position;

a key; and connections between said key and actuating mechanism for operating the latter including a bell crank lever connected with the key and a link interposed between said bell crank lever and said actuating mechanism, said link being pivoted to said bell crank lever at a point so related to the fulcrum of said bell crank lever that depression of said key causes said pivot to first travel substantially longitudinally with respect to said link and to travel substantially trans versely of said link toward the end of the printing stroke, said bell crank lever being mounted upon an adjustable fulcrum so that the position of the angle through which said bell crank lever is turned can be varied;

The foregoing specification signed at Washington, D; 0., this 17th day of June,

CARL A. JOERISSEN. 

